Two more changes have been made to the UFC’s debut card in the Gold Coast.
Highly-touted Brazilian featherweight Hacran Dias has been injured and forced to withdraw from his UFC debut against Chad Mendes. Yaotzin Meza, a teammate of UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson will step into his place as the featured fight on the FUEL TV prelims.
Another would-be UFC debutant on the card is also injured: Light heavyweight Eddie Mendez will be replaced by Denver’s Cody Donovan in the night’s opening bout against Nick Penner.
Injuries Continue to Affect Aussie Card
updated November 14
Powerhouse wrestler Mike Pierce will step in for injured Aussie Kyle Noke at the TUF Smashes Finale next month. Pierce will fight welterweight Seth Baczyski in the UFC’s Gold Coast debut.
Sydney’s Anthony Perosh, who was booked for a light heavyweight bout on the card, has also been injured. Joey “The Mexicutioner” Beltran will now meet Igor Pokrajac.
Nick Penner’s light heavyweight bout also had to be reconfigured after his originally opponent, Ednaldo Oliveira, was injured. He’ll now face 7-1 promotional newcomer Eddie Mendez at the December 15 event.
Injury Forces Noke Off Card updated October 26
An injury has forced Queensland’s Kyle Noke out of his homecoming bout this December. His opponent, Seth Baczynski, will have a new opponent, to be announced soon.
Noke, Perosh to Fight in Oz Again updated September 15
Verbal agreements are in for more bouts taking place at the UFC’s debut event in Australia’s Gold Coast.
Queensland’s-own Kyle Noke (20-6-1) will face American welterweight Seth “Polish Pistola” Baczynski (17-6-0) at UFC® on FX: SOTIROPOULOS vs. PEARSON. Born in Dubbo, NSW, Noke lived on the Sunshine Coast, QLD, before moving
to the United States where he now trains full time with Jackson’s MMA in
New Mexico alongside the likes of Clay Guida, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and UFC light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones.
Two light heavyweights known for their toughness will battle it out as slugger Joey “The Mexicutioner” Beltran fights Australia’s Anthony “The Hippo” Perosh.
Featherweight standouts Chad Mendes and Hacran Dias will also go at it December 15th in a quest to move themselves back up the 145-pound ladder.
UFC Going to the Gold Coast for TUF Smashes Finale updated September 18
UFC is again venturing into new territories as the finale for the first-ever Australian-filmed season of TUF will take place in Queensland’s Gold Coast. The event will be held Saturday, December 15 (Friday, December 14 in North America) at the Gold Coast Convention and Entertainment Centre and be headlined by a lightweight bout between The Ultimate Fighter: Australia vs UK – The Smashes™ coaches George Sotiropoulos and Ross Pearson.
Also on that card, light heavyweights Ednaldo “Lula” Oliveira and Krzysztof “The Polish Experiment” Soszynski have verbally agreed to meet.
The three-hour live finale will air on FX in Australia as well as in the US and feature the lightweight and welterweight finalists from the show’s run.
More details on the event, including venue and ticketing information, will be available in coming weeks on ufc.com.
UFC Sets Date for Return to Oz; Lombard vs. Palhares Announced updated September 7
“FX 6 Australia Friday Dec 14 Middleweight Bout Rousimar Palhares VS Hector Lombard” — with that tweet on Friday, UFC president Dana White announced the UFC’s official date for returning to Australia.
That intriguing bout matches two of the most physically imposing fighters in the middleweight division between submission specialist Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares and powerhouse Hector Lombard.
The bout will mark a homecoming of sorts for the Cuban-born Lombard. Though he now trains with American Top Team in Florida, he lived and fought primarily in Australia and is a citizen of the country.
More details on the FX event, including city, venue and ticket details, will be announced in the coming weeks on ufc.com.